Unsane. Time really does fly.

Looking at this blog is frightening. I haven't posted in a good 2 months, which also means i haven't done any riding in a long time (save the HT trackday at BW). Tonight I'm leaving for Pahrump, where i'll spend the weekend in Sunny Western Nevada with Everyone's Favorite "Socal" Racetrack (TM).

Nevermind that it's not even in SoCal, Pahrump is supposed to take all of the elements that make Buttonwillow great, and take it to the next level. Nice new pavement, wide track with tons of space, and a good mix of high-speed and technical. I'm excited because i'll get to ride a track 2 days in a row for the first time, and i get to monkey around in nevada and play some craps when i'm not sweating in my power ranger outfit.

HT-West Trackday 8/5/2007
I actually have Video for this event, just sitting on my computer, and it's pretty interesting stuff. It shows me getting passed all day, which is pretty standard. I haven't edited it yet, so it needs to be shortened so that there isn't 5 minutes of footage of me sitting in grid.

I took some new things away from that day though--first, i'm not as confident as i ought to be on track. Running BW CCW for the first time, it's expected to feel a little weirded out, (Esp dealing with star mazda, no lost hills, and a REALLY long back straight for the first time in a new direction) but it took me a lot of sessions to get comfy with the track. Even when i had packed it in, i still felt "scared" if you will, of braking from 145 mph (indicated, so more like 135) to make a really gentle left handed sweeper, though i had progressively made the turn faster and faster with each lap. I still have issues with turn 2 (in a CW direction) in both directions, and well, i was slow.

I thought and thought about it, and i wondered if my lowside at BW contributes...Well, considering how consequence free it was, i don't think so. I wondered if i was distracted on the bike or simply just not 100% there, and i realized that i had forgot my earplugs. It's hard to imagine that something so simple would have a big effect on one's riding, and maybe it doesn't, but it's hard to get your thoughts straight when you're doing triple digits at 13000 rpm on a race bike with a full exhaust--it's louder than hell.

Furthermore, i woke up late that morning and was in a rush to get to the track. Whenever i do this, i always end up riding/driving like shit the whole day, and no matter how much you try to relax, the feeling of being rushed never quite leaves you, until it's too late.

And through meditation and heavy motorcycle forum posting, i've come to the conclusion that i'm riding my best when i'm completely relaxed. Focused, but relaxed. Getting in touch with that graceful, effortless, talented (ha ha) side that simply knows what to do and what measure to do it with. In these moments, time slows down, the world becomes eerily quiet (such that i can hear my own breathing over the din of a screaming inline-4), and i simply ride.

So tomorrow, i'm trying to get back to that place. Let's hope the new penske triple, new(er) supercorsas, and proper diet and fluids get me there.